Locomotive frame structure



April 17, 1934. N. w. STORER El AL LOCOMOTIVE FRAME STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 23, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS. Norman 14/ Sforer Wat/far 5. 7?

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ATTORNEY LOCOMOTIVE FRAME S TRUCTURE Filed Nov. 23, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. A/orman WS/orer & lVa/fer 5. Puyy. Y

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LOCOMOTIVE FRAME STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 25, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS.

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AT'TORNEY Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES LOCOMOTIVE FRAME STRUCTURE Norman W. Storer and Walter S. Rugs, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 23, 1928, Serial No. 321,341

10 Claims.

Our invention relates, generally, to railway vehicles and, in particular, to a supporting bed or frame structure for a self-propelled railway vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide a frame structure for a railway locomotive that shall be of simple, compact and durable construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locomotive, embodying a prime mover of the internal-combustion type, in which the frame and a plurality of the parts which are normally secured to it by belts or rivets are formed integrally.

Heretofore, railway vehicles of the self-propelled type have usually been constructed by providing a frame which is mounted upon wheel axles in a well-known manner and is adapted to support a prime mover consisting of an internalcombustion engine and a generator which are mounted on a common base that is secured to the locomotive frame. Locomotives of this type are usually propelled by motors that are journalled on the Wheel axles and are known in the art as axle-hung motors. In such structures, difficulty is experienced in maintaining tight joints between the various parts'of the locomotive and the means for supporting the driving motors from the frame.

In accordance with our present invention, we have provided a Diesel-electric locomotive in which the crank case of the internal-combustion engine, a portion of the generator frame, the frames of the driving motors, the air-brake operating cylinders and other incidental parts are formed integrally with a one-piece locomotive frame. It is obvious that, by so combining a plurality of the parts of a railway locomotive to form an integral unit, the strength and rigidity of the resulting structure is greatly increased, and various short-comings of the structures used in the prior art are avoided.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a View, partially in longitudinal section and partially in side elevation, of a Dieselelectric railway locomotive embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the frame and running gear of the locomotive, the cab portion being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a view, in transverse section, of the locomotive taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is another view, in transverse section, taken along the lines IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the Diesel-electric locomotive therein illustrated comprises, in general, a unitary frame 1 that is resiliently mounted upon the usual wheel axles 2 to constitute therewith the running gear and to support a locomotive body or cab structure 3.

For driving the locomotive, a plurality of motors 4 are provided adjacent to the wheel axles 2 and are operatively connected thereto. Electric power for the motors is provided by a generator 5 which is mounted on the frame 1 within the cab 3 and is driven by an internal-combustion engine 6 that is also mounted on the frame 1 in operative alignment with the generator 5.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the frame 1 comprises a box-like centrally disposed longitudinal portion 11 of substantially rectangular cross section that extends from end to end of the locomotive and is provided, at each end, with a cross member 12 that constitutes an end beam or bumper. In order to couple the locomotive to other vehicles, each end of the frame 1 is provided with a coupling mechanism 13, in a manner well known in the art. At intervals throughout its length, the frame 1 is provided with brackets or transversely disposed cross members 14 that, together with the end beams 12, constitute means for supporting the locomotive cab 3.

In order to simplify the structure of the locomotive, the driving motors 4 are provided with frames 16 that depend from, and are formed integral with, the central portion 11 of the frame 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the motor frames 16 are of substantially the same width as, and are secured to, the central portion 11 of the frame 1 by means of vertically disposed webs 17 which are extensions of the ends of the motor frames and are also extensions or the sides of the central portion 11. For maintaining the wheel axles 2 in proper relation to the motors 4, links 21 are pivoted to the motor frames 16 and to unitary journal bearings 22 on the wheel axles 2 in the manner set forth in detail in the copending application of Claude Bethel, Serial No. 249,263, filed January 25, 1928, now Patent 1,842,241 of January 19, 1932. With a view to supporting the weight of the vehicle upon the journal bearings 22, spring elements 23 are interposed between the upper surfaces of the journal bearings and suitable beds formed integrally on the lower surfaces of the cross members 14 of the frame 1.

Each of the wheel axles is driven by means of gear mechanism 24 which may be similar to that described in the copending application of Claude Bethel, Serial No. 249,264, filed January 25, 1928, now Patent 1,813,141 of July 7, 1931.

The drive mechanisms are mounted on the ends of the axles outside of the wheels, as shown in Fig. 3. As shown, the mechanisms 24 are supported from the frame 1 by means of depending brackets 25 which are connected to the ends of the mechanisms remote from the axles 2 by means of suitable universal joints 26. Power is transmitted to the mechanisms 24 by means of universal couplings 27 that are disposed on the ends of, and are driven by, armature shafts 28 of the motors 4.

For retarding the motion of the vehicle, each wheel is provided with brakes 31 of the type known as clasp brakes which are suspended from the frame 1 by brake rigging 32 of the usual type.

Air cylinders 33 are provided for operating the brakes and are disposed at the sides of the frame 1, at positions midway between the wheel axles 2, and are operatively connected to the brake mechanism 31 by means of piston rods 35 which extend from each end of the cylinders 33 and are each provided with a piston head 36 disposed within the cylinder 33. In order to apply the brakes 31, fluid under pressure may be admitted to the brake cylinders 33 from a reservoir, such as a tank 37, that is suspended beneath the frame 1, at a point between the two piston heads 36. The fluid pressure will exert a force upon the piston heads 36, tending to separate them and, by means of the piston rods 35 and the brake rigging 32, will force the clasp brake shoes 31 into engagement with the wheels on the axles 2. As shown in Fig. 4, the brake cylinders 33 are preferably formed integral with the frame 1.

As shown in the drawings, the crank case or sump portion 41 of the internal-combustion engine 6 is also: formed integrally with, and constitutes a vertical extension of, the center portion 11 of the frame 1.

The lower half 42 of the frame of the generator 5 constitutes a longitudinal extension of the crank case 41, as best shown in Fig. 2. By so constructing the crank case of the engine 6 and part of the frame of the generator 5, as integral portions of the frame 1, positive alignment between the operating parts of the engine 6 and of the generator 5 is assured, and the difficulties ordinarily encountered in securing a heavy piece of machinery to the locomotive frame are entirely avoided.

As shown in Fig. 3, various hollow spaces 45 are provided between the crank case 41 and the central portion 11 of the frame which may be utilized as tanks for the storage of oil, water, or other materials necessary to the proper operation of the locomotive.

From the foregoing description, it may be readily seen that our invention provides a railway locomotive of the Diesel-electric type in which the main frame member, the crank case of the Diesel engine, a portion of the frame of the generator,

the frames of the driving motors and other incidental equipment, such as the brake cylinders, are all formed integrally to constitute a strong and comparatively light unitary structure.

Although we have described only one embodiment of our invention, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the disposition of the driving motors and the prime mover of the locomotive and in the design of the various details without departing from the spirit and scope of our ivention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A unitary railway-locomotive frame that comprises a box-like longitudinal member, motor housings depending from, and formed integrally with the longitudinal member, and brake cylin ders formed integrally at the sides of the frame.

2. A unitary railway-locomotive frame comprising a longitudinal portion extending from end to end of the frame, bumper members on each end of the longitudinal portion, an engine crank case formed on the upper surface of the longitudinal portion, motor housings formed below the longitudinal portion, and brake cylinders formed integrally at the sides thereof.

3. In a railway locomotive, in combination, a unitary frame, running gear for supporting the frame, an engine crank case disposed upon, and formed integrally with the frame, an internalcombustion engine mounted on the crank case, a tank formed integrally with the frame and adapted to carry fuel for the engine, a generator housing disposed in operative alignment with the engine crank case, a portion of the generator housing being formed integrally with the crank case, a generator disposed in the housing, motor housings disposed beneath the frame and formed integrally with it, motors in the motor housings, and means for transmitting power from the motors to the running gear of the locomotive.

4. An under-bed for the power unit of a railway vehicle comprising an integral casting having an engine sump disposed longitudinally there of, a generator frame disposed in alignment with the engine sump, tanks on the respective sides of the engine sump, a platform at each end of the engine sump and bumper portions at the edges of the platform.

5. A railway vehicle comprising an integral frame and power-unit under-bed supported upon a running gear, said integral frame having an engine sump formed in the upper surface thereof, a generator compartment in alignment with the engine sump, tank portions formed on the sides of the engine sump, a platform extending in each direction from the engine sump, and bumper portions formed across each end of the platform.

6. A unitary railway-locomotive frame comprising a longitudinal central portion, an engine crank case formed integrally on the upper surface of the central portion, a tank for fuel formed integrally with the engine crank case, and motor housings formed integrally with, and below, the central portion of the frame.

7. A unitary railway-locomotive frame comprising a longitudinal central portion, an engine crank case formed integrally with the central portion and a fuel tank disposed within, and formed integrally with, the central portion.

8. A unitary railway-locomotive frame comprising a central portion, motor housings depending from, and formed integrally with the central portion, and integral brake-operating cylinders 1 disposed at the sides of the central portion.

9. In a railway locomotive, in combination, a unitary frame, running gear comprising wheel axles for supporting the frame, motors for driving the locomotive disposed beneath the frame, link mechanism on the motor housing for positioning the wheel axles, and gear mechanisms disposed on the outer ends of the wheel axles for transmitting power from the motors to the said axles.

10. In a railway vehicle, in combination, a unitary frame, motor housings formed integrally with the frame, wheel axles for supporting the frame, means on the motor housings for guiding the wheel axles, and gear mechanisms disposed on the ends of the axles and outside of the wheels for transmitting power from the motors to said axles.

NORMAN W. STORER. WALTER S. RUGG. 

